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Are Muslim women used cars?

Posted in Irshaddering Thoughts on Sep 28, 2007

In Saudi Arabia, by law, women can be passed down from their fathers to their husbands, sons, or brothers. In other words, Saudi women have the legal status of a used car — and yet, they’re not even allowed to drive a used car. How’s that for justice.

Not good enough, it turns out, for more and more daughters of Saudi Arabia. Saudi women are petitioning their government for the right to drive. Women have sent a petition straight to King Abdullah – bearing 1,100 signatures and citing the lack of religious reasoning behind the current regulations. They even have the support of some men, who recognize that women’s full participation in the economy is necessary.

You see, Saudi Arabian women are participating more and more in the public sector. Due to a struggling economy, women have headed into the workforce in droves- steering the country’s financial situation in a more positive direction. Just last year, two Saudi businesswomen were elected to the Kingdom’s chamber of commerce, their election earning mention in Forbes’ “Most Powerful Women in Politics” feature this year.

But how can Saudi Arabia’s women- and the Saudi economy- reach their full potential when many women spend up to half of their income on hiring male drivers?

See this piece in the International Herald Tribune, and head on over to Project Ijtihad’s myspace page to discuss your views.